THDG Chapter 1: The Bond Between Human and Dragon

This nation is protected by the Dragon God.

Thanks to the divine protection of the dragon, who dwells alone deep within the rugged mountains, the magical beasts that harm humanity cannot cross the borders. Yet, there were those who believed he could not rely on the Dragon God forever—a group set out on a journey to defeat the Demon Beast King.

The campaign took many years. Generations passed, and countless corpses littered the grounds before the Demon Beast King’s castle. Finally, a young man returned bearing news of peace.

Once a mere soldier, he was now hailed as the Hero, celebrated not only in his homeland but across the world. Numerous marriage proposals flooded in, but he refused them all and journeyed to a single destination:

The Dragon God’s lair.

Ten years prior, at age fifteen, he had bid farewell to the dragon by bowing deeply to a stone statue at the mountain’s base. Now, after a grueling two-day climb, he arrived at the cave where the Dragon God resided.

There awaited the dragon.

As the Hero lifted his candelabra, golden eyes and silver scales glimmered eerily in the darkness.

The Hero, breathless at the creature’s otherworldly beauty, knelt before the Dragon God and pleaded:

“Dragon God-sama… I seek your divine protection.”

“The Demon Beast King warned me… that he would regain his strength and return.”

“I need the power to protect everyone when that day comes.”

“I’ve heard… you grant your power to those who become your bonded partner.”

“Please… bond with me and bestow your strength upon me.”

The silver dragon agreed to fulfill his earnest wish.

At this time, the Hero was 25 years old. The Dragon God was 420.

Thus, a bonded pair with a 395-year age gap was formed────

A year later, the Dragon God grows increasingly restless over his husband’s refusal to make a single move.

＋＋＋

“Dragon God-sama, lunch is ready.”

The two-story Western-style mansion, awarded to the Hero for defeating the Demon Beast King, is where the human-dragon pair now lives as a married couple.

The gates remain open during the day, welcoming all visitors. Until moments ago, the courtyard echoed with the lively shouts of children practicing with wooden swords. Now, they’ve moved to the dining hall, leaving only the glossy apples in the garden to bask in the sunlight.

Polished by devoted servants, the windows and floors gleam spotlessly—a far cry from the cave the Dragon God once called home.

Though, these days, the Dragon God spends most of his time in the semi-underground library.

“Would you join the children for lunch?”

The earnest voice belonged to a young man with short blond hair, blue eyes, and a lean, muscular frame.

This was Elliot, the Hero who slayed the Demon Beast King a year ago. To prepare for the king’s prophesied revival, he swore eternal vows not to a childhood friend or a wealthy noble’s daughter—but to the reclusive Dragon God of the mountains.

His single-minded dedication had occasionally exasperated even his former party. While they’d been shocked by his marriage to a deity—“Only Elliot would marry a god… or a dragon god, no less”—they’d also conceded, “He’d do anything to save the world.”

“No, I’ll pass.”

Elliot’s voice carried warmth beneath its seriousness, but the Dragon God’s reply was icy. Seated on a ladder, he didn’t glance up from his book.

His silver hair, cascading to his shoulders, shone like a honed blade. His golden eyes—pupils split by vertical, slit-like irises—glinted with the lonely brilliance of unyielding ore. Though strikingly handsome, anyone who met his gaze would gasp at the unmistakably inhuman trait.

“The children would be delighted if you joined them.”

“Am I some sort of a circus show?”

“Of course not.”

The Dragon God can only maintain his dragon form in the spiritually charged mountains. In human form, venturing into town inevitably draws crowds—once recognized, curious onlookers refuse to let the nation’s guardian deity leave.

Even at home, the mansion—famed as the “Hero and Dragon God’s Estate”—is never free of visitors. Hence, the Dragon God hides in the library by day.

“I’ll have the meal brought here—” Elliot began, then paused. “Dragon God-sama, your bangs are covering your eyes.”

“…Ah.”

The Dragon God swept his hair aside indifferently. Elliot watched for a moment before bowing. “I’ll take my leave, then,” he said, ascending the stairs.

The Dragon God didn’t look up, his eyes still fixed on the book—though not a single word registered. He wanted to ask:

“Do you remember…that today is our anniversary?”

Eleven years ago, he’d first seen Elliot through the stone statue’s eyes as the 15-year-old boy prayed at the mountain’s base.

He’d been different from the other warriors—not in appearance, but in the radiance of his spirit. Against his divine duty, the Dragon God found himself wishing, not as a god but as a dragon, for his safe return.

A forbidden desire for the nation’s guardian deity.

Yet, the boy returned—as the Hero.

And then—he asked to bond with the dragon to protect humanity.

Legends claim the Dragon God was moved by his purity of heart. But the truth is simpler: the dragon just wanted to be with him.

And so, without hesitation, he said, “I shall grant that wish.”

He also added, “To a human, my life may seem eternal, but I have no objections to spending just a fleeting moment playing with you.”

But in truth, it wasn’t just that he had no objections—he wanted nothing more. He had been longing for the Hero to hold him.

And then, at last, their wedding night arrived.

When Elliot entered the bedroom that had been specially prepared for the Dragon, he asked: “Is the pillow too firm? How does the texture of the sheets feel? Is the room temperature comfortable?”

After confirming everything, he gave a polite bow and said, “Thank you for granting my request. Well then, good night.”

And just like that, he returned to his own room.

“Well then?” The Dragon wanted to ask.

This was their wedding night.

What kind of “well then” leaves a newlywed spouse waiting in bed?

But he couldn’t ask.

As the guardian deity of this kingdom and a being far above humans, he had already caused enough of a scandal in the divine realm just by choosing to bond with a human—even if that human was the Hero. (His family had been in an uproar about it.)

There was no way he could ask, “Why won’t you embrace me?”

So he waited.

Perhaps Elliot had been feeling unwell that night.

Perhaps he had an early morning training session with the children.

Yes, that must be it.

He kept making excuses for him.

And so, a year passed without them ever sharing a bed.

“Why do you invite me like that…?” the Dragon murmured under his breath.

A lunch invitation—to dine with the children.

Shouldn’t it have been “just the two of us” instead?

Did he even remember their anniversary?

The Dragon was about to give up, but then reconsidered. There was still evening.

Dinner was his real plan.

A private evening, just the two of them.

According to the romance novel he had recently read, this was how it should go:

– A quiet dinner for two.

– A deep, intimate conversation.

– And then, naturally, they would end up in bed together.

“Tonight… can I expect him to come? Is that what this means…?”

Sitting atop a stepladder, the Dragon pondered deeply.

The maid, who had come to deliver lunch, saw the solemn expression on his face and furrowed her brows with concern. If the Dragon God was troubled, did that mean a natural disaster was coming?

And in a way, she wasn’t wrong.

What awaited the Dragon that night would be just as terrifying as a natural disaster.